


Steady as the Moon, Shining Like the Sun

by kitncat



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Warnings Given per Chapter, Zutara Month 2020
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitncat/pseuds/kitncat
Summary: 31 unconnected one-shots for Zutara Month 2020!  Using the May 2020 prompts, even thought it's a little late.  Daily updates not guaranteed!  Warnings will be given per chapter in summary or Auther's Note before the chapter.CHAPTER 1: FLOWERSAs the world tries to rebuild, Zuka sneaks a day for himself while visiting Ba Sing Se with the group - Katara ends up joining him.  Stammering and gift giving ensues.(Takes place before the Jasmine Dragon scene in the Sozin's comet Part 4.)
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	1. Flowers

Zuko smiled as he moved through the streets of Ba Sing Se's market. It was growing more common for him to smile, he'd realized. It was... Nice, if he was honest. Sure, he had a lot of work left to do. But this week? This week was just for him and his friends (AKA family) to spend together. He was set to meet the others at the Jasmine Dragon later for tea, but for now he just wanted to enjoy the marketplace for a while - after all, he no longer had to fear someone finding out his identity. Though he had forgone the traditional top knot and headpiece, just for the day.

Maybe, he toyed with the idea, he'd pick something up in the market for each of his friends and his Uncle.

"Is that who I think it is?" Came a pleasantly surprised and unmistakable voice behind him, followed by a soft chuckle as he started to turn around, "Of course not! He'd be decked out in Fire Lord clothes." Katara informed him with a grin, eyes gleaming happily.

He laughed along with her, "Very funny Katara. And I am wearing Fire Nation colors." He informed her matter-of-factly, holding his arms out to show off the red and gold clothes he was wearing, "The only thing I don't have is the headpiece." He added, tilting his head and letting his fringe brush across his face.

She grinned, "So what brings you to the marketplace with us commoners, Fire Lord Zuko?" She asked, stepping closer with a grin.

He chuckled, "I'm just browsing, Lady Katara." He offered his arm, "If you want to join me, I wouldn't mind the company."

Her grin turned into a soft smile, and she wrapped her arm around his, "I would be happy to join you." She hummed softly.

For a while they walked in silence, but then he couldn't help asking, "I thought you'd be with your brother or Aang?"

She shrugged, "My brother is with Suki, Aang's entertaining a bunch of people. Besides, I like spending time with you." She said, soft, bright blue eyes looking up at him. He just smiled and kept looking straight ahead.

"I like spending time with you too." The comment felt... Wrong, like he should have said something smoother.

She didn't mind though, and they lapsed back into a comfortable quiet - at least until she spotted something that caught her eye.

She was gone from his side in an instant, leaving the mighty Fire Lord to chuckle and follow after her. As she examined the hair piece that had originally caught her eye, he glanced around himself - eying a flower.

He slowly moved over, about to ask the florist how much for one of the lovely morning glories when she gave him a wide-eyed look.

"F-Fire L-Lord Zuko!"

He tried to smile, but when her voice shook with terror it was a little hard, "I... Er… I was wondering if I could purchase one of these?" He indicated the bloom with a finger.

She still looked skeptical but nodded slowly.

"I-It's not for me." He glanced over at where Katara was examining herself in a mirror the vendor had held up, holding the hair piece up to examine it near her hair.

"Ah, I see. You have a lady on your mind."

Seeing that he was just trying to buy something for the girl he was in love with seemed to put the vendor at ease. He caught himself thinking of Katara as the girl he loved too late, mentally pinching the bridge of his nose for such a mistake.

Still, he nodded, "Y-Yeah."

The florist smiled, plucked the flower he'd pointed to, and handed it to him, "A single coin will suffice." She hummed, "Love always deserves a discount after all."

He blinked in surprise, then smiled a little, "Thank you." He mumbled, placing the coin in her palm as he blushed at the thought that she could tell he was in love with the waterbender.

He moved away, hiding the flower behind his back in a way that made it seem like he simply had his hands folded behind her back.

"What do you think Zuko?" Katara asked, turning to him without missing a beat as she held the hair piece - something like a comb - near her hair.

"You like it don't you?" He replied, unsure why she'd want his opinion on it.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, but still! What do _you_ think?" She repeated, "I want your opinion."

He eyed it for a moment, the way the intricate and delicate carvings on the pale wood and two bright sapphires complimented her hair and eyes. His throat constricted. She was always beautiful, a blind man could see that, but there was something about her holding the comb - bright eyes shining at him, awaiting his judgement on something so trivial - that made her even more so, not to mention to nice touch the comb added.

"I-I like it." He said, silently groaning as he stammered.

She beamed, lowering the comb as she turned to the vendor, "How much?" She asked, paling at the replied price.

Quietly, she set the comb back down - frowning. He shook his head, drawing out the money (careful not to reveal his flower yet) and laid the money on the stall. "I'll buy it for her." He informed the vendor.

"Zuko! You don't have to do that!" She gasped, eyes wide.

He smiled, "I want to."

She beamed, happily plucking up the comb and carefully sliding it in to her hair, tilting her head.

"Still like it?"

"Mhm..." He hummed, distracted by how cute she looked when she tilted her head and looked at him like that.

They moved away from the stall, and he took a deep breath. "So... I- uh..." He blushed, turning the flower he'd bought for her in his fingers, the bloom still concealed from her sight.

She looked worried, "Is everything alright?"

"What?! Y-Yeah! Everything is fine! Why wouldn't it be?" He stammered.

She shrugged, "You've been thinking, I can see it in your face."

"W-What?" He asked, but swept on, shaking his head, "I-It's nothing bad, I promise. I-I just... Wanted to do something nice for you?" It came out a question and he mentally groaned (again).

"You already bought me something." She reminded him with a slightly blush, smiling slightly once more.

"I-I know but..." He slowly held out the delicate blue flower, "I-I thought you might like a flower..."

She smiled, gently taking it from him, "Thank you." She murmured, "It's really lovely."

Before he could react, she kissed his cheek - both of them blushing.

When they finally left the market, she'd ask him to help her figure out how to include both the flower and the comb he'd gotten her as part of her outfit for their night at the Jasmine Dragon.

Then, when they arrived, Aang would give her compliments on them and she'd just smile and tell him someone special got them for her. After tea, when Aang would get up to wander outside - a clear invite for Katara to join him for a moment alone - Katara would simply lean against Zuko and rest her head on his shoulder - much to the Fire Lord's surprise, but he'd smile after a moment and wrap an arm around her.


	2. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko's attempt to surprise Katara for the Winter Solstice by showing up at her village goes a little... Well, south (no pun intended). Who knew winters at the South Pole could be so cold?
> 
> (Established Zutara; Culture-building; Idiot in Love Trying to Freeze to Death (for a good cause))

Zuko pushed through the whipping winds of the blizzard, snow assaulting him. He'd long given up trying to maintain a small fire in his hands. Even if the winds didn't knock it out instantly, he didn't have the heat to spare. All of his focus was on keeping himself warm.

He pulled the heavy red cloak he'd brought on his Uncle's insistence a little tighter around him, shivering.

 _"Make sure to pack lots of warm clothes Zuko."_ Iroh had said, _"It'll be cold and harsh in the South Pole this time of year."_

He had laughed a little, asking how it could be colder than it was the last time they'd been near a Pole in the winter. Plus, the Winter Solstice was approaching - and according to what Katara had told him the sky was always clear for the celebration.

He was wondering how true that was, and wondering why he hadn't thought to get even _heavier_ clothes to wear. It was four days from the Solstice and this blizzard was very well a tougher foe than Katara was.

He shivered again, deciding that winters in the South Pole were one of his least favorite things. He almost huffed as he stumbled over his own frozen feet, what would his father say to him if he could see him now - half-frozen trying to reach a Water Tribe village for his waterbender girlfriend?

Zuko could imagine well the look of disappointed anger Ozai would have, the way he'd scoff at how weak and pathetic his son was. Zuko must have been delirious with cold, because he laughed aloud at the thought. He had no true care what that man would say or think or do. Hadn't cared since the war ended...

The war... It was only a year and a half ago it ended, but it seemed so far away now... Those days lounging with the entire Gaang, just trying to get by and make it to fight another day...

He huffed as he spotted a snowbank, deciding for once to listen to something Sokka had once told him.

_"So what do you do if you get caught in a blizzard?" Zuko challenged, rolling his eyes at something the Water Tribe boy said._

_"Find a good sized snow drift and try to hollow out part of it to hide in. It's not exactly warm, but it cuts back on how much snow and wind you're getting hit with and is far better than being in the open. My dad taught me that, said it's saved his life more than once." Sokka responded with far more seriousness than the fallen Prince expected._

It was work, but eventually Zuko managed to hollow out enough of the snowbank he could press inside it - curled up tight as he shivered, eyes half closed. He tried his best to continue regulating his body heat, but he was tired... So tired... Each blink lasted longer, until he was certain that he was _very_ delirious, because he could have sworn he saw someone moving through the blizzard.

Still... If that was someone... He grit his teeth, summoned the last of his energy, and pushed out a flicker of flame. He saw the blurred figure's head turn as his arm dropped, flame failing to sustain, saw them running, and then a warm darkness.

The first thing the half-frozen Lord of Fire recognized was the fact he was waking up at all, and that the hallucination _hadn't_ been a hallucination.

The second is warmth, a fire burning somewhere nearby and heating the space he's in.

The third is the hushed shuffling of feet.

The fourth is the most and least present.

"I _swear_ when he wakes up _I'm_ gonna murder him! He won't have to worry about a blizzard again!" Katara ranted, and he didn't need to force his heavy lids open to know perfectly well the look on her face. He had seen it aimed at advisors and ministers far too much to ever forget it, not to mention the times _he_ had been on the recieving end.

"Katara-" Sokka seemed to try to soothe his younger sister.

"Don't _Katara_ me Sokka! This _idiot_ could have froze to death and no one would even know it until long after the Winter Solstice!" She spat.

"Katara, I know. But think about maybe why he was out here?" Sokka tried, this time not interrupted as Zuko felt her studying him.

"You mean other than attempting to freeze?"

"I think that part was unintentional."

"Well, I don't know _why_ he'd be here - in the middle of a blizzard!"

Sokka groaned and Zuko chose that moment to risk his life once more, forcing his eyes open as he gave a small smile, "Surprise?" He offered, almost regretting it when eyes that rivalled the oceans' depths turned to glare at him.

"Surprise!?" She gasped, clearly offended.

"I was trying to surprise you?" He offered timidly, still cold but feeling frozen for a whole new reason with that look aimed at him.

Her features softened, "You were... Coming for the Solstice?" She asked, clearly struggling to go from sheer anger to understanding his motives.

"I wasn't expecting the blizzard, but yeah..."

She sighed, mumbling something under her breath about how she'd fallen in love with the most caring, selfless idiot in the world, before giving him a gentle smile, "Then I guess I don't have to kill you." She conceded, "But you are on house arrest until you're feeling better." She added and he smiled.

"I wouldn't dream of disobeying you." He mumbled, and Sokka gave an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm going to go tell Dad and Gran-Gran he's awake." He said with a little more volume than necessary before slipping out. Katara just smiled down at her half-frozen Lord of Fire, while he smiled up at his girl of water.


	3. Chance Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a thousand tea shops throughout all of Ba Sing Se. The Spirits were obviously plotting against Katara today, because the chance of her going to the only one with a specific Fire Nation boy playing a server seems extremely thin, and even thinner that it's slow enough he dares to sit across from her while his Uncle tends to the other couple of customers in the background.

She glared at the boy of fire before her.

She just wanted a cup of tea to distract her from the absurdity of an entire _city_ deciding that a _worldwide_ war didn't exist and everything was sunshine and rainbows.

She had heard people in the markets talking about the Jasmine Dragon, and how wonderful the tea there was, so she decided she and Momo could spare an hour or so to enjoy a bit of quiet.

Now, she decided as she stared at the 'server' who - with the building nearly empty currently, just her, a couple, and a lone man - slid in across from her, golden eye wide, the Spirits had been plotting against her for some reason. Because losing Appa and being the only people in an entire city and her having to take care of everyone wasn't enough. No. There's a thousand tea shops throughout all of the sprawling city of Ba Sing Se, and she just so _happened_ to come to the one tea shop where the Fire Prince was playing a server - and the absurdity that the new-but-well-liked tea shop is quiet enough he can sit across from her with no one noticing is further proof of the Spirits plotting against the waterbender.

 _"Tui and La, what did I do?"_ She wondered vaguely to herself as she stared at the scarred boy in front of her. "What game are you playing?" She grit out, glancing over at where his uncle was pouring the couple tea.

She has half a mind to leave before giving him two words, go find the authorities and have him arrested before his plot takes hold, but - for some reason - she stays to hear him.

"There's no game, we're here as refugees." The Prince of Fire started with, earning a raised eyebrow and look of disbelief. "It sounded crazy to me too." He muttered, mostly to himself she thought, "But we really are just trying to make new lives here. I didn't even know the Avatar was in Ba Sing Se until all the posters started popping up everywhere and customers started talking about a missing sky bison." He attempted to persuade her to believe.

"So you expect me to believe, after you chased us everywhere else we've gone, you just so _happen_ to show up in Ba Sing Se?" She challenged.

"It _is_ the refugee capital of the world." He pointed out dryly, "And to be honest, I don't expect you to _believe_ anything I say. I just need to convince you we're no longer a big enough threat to concern yourself with, in the grand scheme of things."

She eyed him, "And if I leave here, and don't tell anyone else what happened or who you are, can I trust you to stay away from the Avatar?"

He looked over at where his uncle was laughing with the lone man, but Katara just kept watching Zuko's face - the way it softened slightly as he looked at the only person who ever seemed to be truly loyal to him. Maybe, Katara's compassion whispered, there was more to this scarred boy of fire than she's ever thought.

"You can." He promised, looking back to her, and she was surprised to find the complete certainty in his gaze, "I've fought for something unobtainable for too long, it's time to find my own path - not the one that was picked for me."

She wanted to ask what he meant, but another customer came in and Zuko stood, giving her a half bow, "If you'll excuse me miss, I have other customers to attend to." He said, turning and moving towards the Earth Kingdom native, "Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon." She heard him greet.

Against some of her judgement, she stood, left what she owed for her tea, and left without a word to anyone about the two workers of the Jasmine Dragon.

==========

Katara glared at the boy of fire before her.

"She got you too?" He asked, sounding almost worried.

"She?"

"Azula."

"I guess. Aren't you in on it?" She asked coldly.

He glared, "I already told you. I am _trying_ to start over."

"Clearly the world has other ideas."

 _"The Spirits just love shoving us together."_ She thought angrily at the Spirits.

Zuko sighed and they lapsed into silence.

"What did you mean earlier?" She asked when she could no longer bear the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"At the Jasmine Dragon. You said you were tired of fighting for the unobtainable."

Silence responded, and for many moments she thought that she'd lost whatever feeble trust had been building between them.

"Sometimes we want what doesn't exist." He murmured finally, "I spent my whole life trying to be the son my father would have wanted, to earn his love. I finally realized that that man doesn't have any love to give, no matter what I do. To him I'm just another pawn."

Her heart clenched, and she eyed the scar his fingers brushed, stepping closer, "He did that?"

He nodded, dropping his hand, "After I refused to fight him, right before he banished me from the Fire Nation on what was supposed to be the impossible quest of capturing the Avatar."

She took a few moments to digest what he told her, then drew out her vial of water from the Spirit Oasis. "Maybe you don't have to bear Ozai's mark forever. This water is from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, and it has special healing properties. Maybe it can heal your scar."

He looked ready to accept, when his uncle and Aang came crashing into their prison and the moment is shattered. He saved them from Azula when she thought he'd joined her side, Katara has no idea what becomes of the boy of fire - can only assume the worst and pray to the Spirits, for the sake of the uncle he saved, that he managed to live.

==========

Katara glared at the boy of fire before her.

Not because she's angry, but because she can't be even the slightest bit frustrated at his reappearance.

He saved her brother - her amazing, _stupid_ brother - and her father and Suki, all at the risk of himself.

Neither of them mention Ba Sing Se - the Jasmine Dragons or the Crystal Catacombs - and it feels as though there's a burden they both carry they can't speak of.

He takes her to the Southern Raiders, to Yon Rha, without question - either in her mission for vengeance or when she abandons her kill at the last moment. He witnesses her bloodbend a man - and not once does he question what it is or accuse her of being a monster.

Everyone else questions her need to find Yon Rha - and rejoices when she reveals he still lives. No one else is told she used bloodbending again - she remembers the looks of fear from them when she and Hama did it the first time, knows they'd never understand and they'd ask too many questions.

After that trip, the wall of ice between them melts and they become close.

==========

Katara beamed at the boy of fire before her.

Somewhere in the background Azula is yelling, thrashing against chains she can't escape from, while numerous buildings burn. Somewhere in the world the Avatar is fighting the Fire Lord (or Phoenix King, it didn't matter to her).

But right here, in her arms, was a boy of fire with a scar on his face and a star on his chest. In her arms was the boy who she'd given a chance, the boy who'd let himself be captured for her, the boy who'd offered her vengeance and wordless acceptance, the boy who'd taken lightning for her.

She smiled, holding him closer, and let the unspoken words between them hang freely in the air between their beating hearts.

"I love you." She breathed softly. As much as she'd lecture him later for jumping in front of _lightning_ , as uncertain as the future of the world was, as much as she had no idea how this would even work - she could at least be honest.

"I know." He murmured, cupping her cheek with one of those small, soft smiles, "I love you too."

They sealed the unspoken promise with a gentle kiss.

 _"I won't leave you."_ Her heart whispered without words.

 _"I'll fight to keep us together."_ Came his heart's unspoken response as molten gold and ocean blue met as the kiss broke.

Somewhere, Katara was certain, the Spirits were singing (and likely laughing) at how there little game back in Ba Sing Se had turned out.


	4. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had half a second to choose, and he failed her.
> 
> She faced the same choice, and she failed them.
> 
> OR
> 
> Zuko fled the battle in the Crystal Catacombs completely with his Uncle, not a direct betrayal to Katara - but close enough to break fragile trust. When a chance encounter leads to both the Gaang and the Fire Nation exiles getting caught up in a fight, Katara has to choose between saving Zuko and saving Aang.

Katara spun away from her opponent, catching the flash of running earth clothes. Dispatching of the Dai Li operative, her eyes trailed after the two Fire Nation exiles - a fallen Prince and a fallen General - as they fled the battle.

A bitter sense of disappointment swelled in her chest as she caught golden eyes for just a moment, before he looked away and chased after his uncle. He wasn't fighting her, or going after the Avatar, but the taste watching him flee altogether - without trying in even the slightest to help - left just as bitter of a taste in her mouth as him firing on her would have.

She turned back to the battle, and fought with a renewed strength - even if it ended in her fleeing with a too-still Avatar in her arms.

The tears that fell down her cheeks as they fled Ba Sing Se weren't all for the injured boy in her arms though, her shattered heart mourning for 'what-ifs' and 'could-have-beens'. She did her best to silence them. The boy of fire had made his choice, and now they both had to live with it.

==========

It didn't matter how many times Katara repeated it to herself, she had come to wish for a boy of fire to be beside her. She wasn't sure why (maybe he'd done something to twist her mind, but that idea was crazy) but her heart ached at the thought of her former enemy, desperately wished he could be here to fight the war beside her.

Then, at least, Aang would have a firebending master and there would be a clear plan for what happened after the war... Without the Prince, if something were to happen to Ozai then _Azula_ would be placed on the throne. If they stopped both of them, then the Fire Nation would be left without a royal family - which didn't bode well for a country that would already be lost in a time of complete tumult.

And yet, Katara knew that those weren't the reasons she wanted the Fire Prince here - because she didn't care about his title or what he could do for the group. She wanted the only one who seemed to be able to see her scars, to offer her genuine responses, and - she dared think - she had offered him the same. In just a few minutes, he'd somehow become one of the most important people to her - and then he'd run off. Just like her father.

==========

"-but doesn't he know how much that we need him too? How could he just leave us behind?" She demanded, talking about all three of the frustrating people at once.

First her father ran away to the war.

Then Zuko left her when she would have given anything for him to stay.

And now Aang ran off to play hero.

 _Why_ did they all insist on leaving!?

"You're talking about me too, aren't you?" Hakoda, her father, asked softly - looking almost downcast.

 _"Yes!"_ She wanted to scream, _"Yes I mean you! Because you weren't the only one hurting but you were the one who could run away from the memories! And Zuko! Because I opened up to him and I let myself_ care _about him and then he ran away! And Aang because he's upset at something we can use and he decided to be alone!"_

But she just glared, and in the tone of a girl who'd lost her mother far too young, asked, "How could you leave us Dad?"

 _"How could you run away Zuko?"_ The voice of a vulnerable girl in the Crystal Catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se asked in Katara's head.

==========

Chaos was the only word for what was happening.

Katara swept up a water wall to protect her back as she sent an ice dagger flying towards one of the soldiers. Somehow the cover that her and the others had had coming into this town had been blown, and now they were fighting for their lives and freedom. And to make things worse (or better) Zuko and his uncle had appeared just before the battle and were caught up in it too - though at least they were fighting with Katara and her friends rather than the firebending soldiers.

She could see the former General beside Sokka and Toph, carefully herding them back away from the worst of the fighting and towards the woods - where they could retreat into and hide, before escaping on Appa. That was the plan at least, if she could get there.

She glanced around, finding Aang being driven parallel to the forest. Avatar or not, the boy was struggling to defend himself against five opponents.

Zuko caught her eye next, the fallen Prince struggling to hold his own against a different set of five.

She growled, batting away her own opponent with a water whip. She knew she could only help one of them - the other would be on their own.

"Katara!" Aang called, desperate as he ducked a fire ball that was dangerously close to burning him - using a push of air to propel him out of the way for a moment.

Sokka and Toph couldn't get to Aang, Iroh couldn't get to Zuko. Katara could get to one of them.

Her heart hammered as she was forced to make a similar decision to Zuko. Flee now, or pick between Zuko and Aang.

She felt a flicker of understanding for the boy of fire, who had been forced to choose between her and his sister. He had fled though, she wouldn't abandon them both.

She grit her teeth, sent a wave of water towards Aang to give him the best chance possible, then spun. Ice daggers whizzed through the air, followed by hard whips of water, and within moments she and Zuko were back to back. She didn't need to see his face to know he was surprised, but that was the least of their problems currently.

"We need to get out of here." She grunted as she launched dual streams of water at two of their opponents.

"We'll never make it to the forest."

She glanced up at the roofs, some of them sparking with stray flames. "What if we get to the roofs? Do you think we could find somewhere to hide, or a way out of town?"

There was a moment of silence where the only noises were the yelling of Aang and Iroh's group and grunts from Zuko and Katara.

"Can you get up there?"

"I offered the plan, didn't I?" She snapped.

"Then it's the only chance we have." He growled, "On my count."

She nodded, slashing at an opponent with ice.

"One." They pushed a bit closer to the nearest building.

"Two." A wave of fire from Zuko nearly evaporated all of her water as he drove all their opponents back.

"Three!" He launched ahead of her, pulling the flames from the roof and hurling them at their opponents, jumping up a couple of crates and then landing on the roof with her a step behind. As he dashed across the roof with her following, she risked a glance back.

Iroh, Sokka, and Toph had all vanished into the forest - Aang stranded alone among a sea of enemies. His grey eyes caught Katara's, shining with a sad confusion. She may not have betrayed him, but she had left him for someone who had abandoned them. She might as well have been one of the Fire Nation soldiers capturing the Avatar.

Then she was fleeing across rooftops, dropping down beside Zuko to hide in an abandoned warehouse.

When they had caught their breaths, he spoke in a whisper, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" She asked quietly.

He glared at her, "Pick me over the Avatar."

She stared at him, "Because..."

Because what?

 _"They won't kill the Avatar instantly?"_ Chances were Aang would be dead by dawn.

 _"I wasn't going to leave you like you did me?"_ True, but not the most honest reason.

"Because I- I didn't want to abandon you..." She said softly. How could she explain that the anger that had boiled under her skin because of him had evaporated the moment he fought to help them and the way her heart froze in a painfully familiar way at the thought of it being _his_ body on the ground?

"But I abandoned you..." He murmured, gaze falling. She could hear the regret in his voice - wondered if he wished he'd made another choice that day.

"Well, you can make it up to me now." She murmured, staring at him.

He looked up at her in surprise. An understanding passed between them then.

She hadn't given up on him, but he better not leave her again.

He nodded, "How?" He asked, expression grave.

"Help me save Aang."

"We'll need help. I saw the prison, it's too high security - you'd be surprised, I was. But they won't risk keeping the Avatar around long. He'll probably be executed at dusk."

"That's in two hours!" She hissed urgently, eyes wide.

"I know. So unless you know how to be a crazy vigilante I'd say we're going to need to find my uncle and your friends."

"They won't be happy to see me..." She murmured, glancing away as the mention of 'vigilantes' made her mind flicker to her time as the Painted Lady.

"Well, we've got bigger problems than that. If the Avatar dies..."

She nodded, "So what's the plan?"

"Go find them, you know where the sky bison will be. No doubt that's where they'll be headed. I'll hang back here and keep an eye out. Sneak to the execution, it'll be public so hopefully that won't be too hard. Just..." He shrugged, "Put on some face paint or something to make your faces less recognizable by any guards."

"What about you?"

He smirked a little, "I'll be on the rooftops. On my signal, cause a distraction of any sort - anything to give me a chance to get out of the area with Aang." He tilted his head, "Given where the most likely place for the execution is, the Avatar and I should be able to make it through the forest and to the flying bison."

"Aang won't trust you." She warned.

He glared, "Well, how do I get him to trust me?" He asked irritably, clearly frustrated at the hole in his plan.

She was slow, hesitant, but she took off her mother's necklace and motioned for him to turn around so she could but it on him, "My mother's necklace. He knows you would never wear it without me telling you to, and you wouldn't get it willingly unless I trusted you." She said, securing it.

He looked stunned as he turned back around, but nodded.

"How will I recognize your signal?" She asked as she moved to the door, glancing around before glancing back to take in his smirk.

"Oh, you'll know. It'll be unmistakable."

She nodded, praying this wouldn't be a mistake - and that he wouldn't betray or abandon her - as she slipped from the abandoned building.

==========

Much to her prediction, Toph and Sokka had been furious with her. But they had quieted when she informed them of the plan to rescue Aang - and Zuko hadn't been wrong about the dusk execution.

They were all in disguise, Katara having painted something similar to the Painted Lady - just enough to hide her at a glance - while Sokka had gone almost Kyoshi with his face paint and Toph had done something that according to Iroh was traditional Fire Nation - and Iroh himself wore traditional Fire Nation face paint.

So far, as the execution speech about ending the greatest threat to the Fire Nation droned on, they hadn't even been given a second glance - but she hadn't seen any sign of Zuko either.

"Are we sure we can trust him to show up?" Sokka hissed in her ear.

She frowned as the speech seemed to be winding down, "Just give him time, he knows what he's doing." She said, not sure if she was reassuring herself or her brother.

Sokka frowned deeper, Aang shooting a desperate glance around as the speech finally concluded and he was shoved to his knees.

Katara felt her heart hammer in her chest, moments from panicking and abandoning the plan, when a flash of black flew from the roof, landing nimbly between the executioner and the Avatar - a flash of silver as, within an instant, the suddenly present being disposed of the most obvious threat.

A blue and white mask flashed out at the crowd, frozen in a permanent snarling expression, before the being shifted to fight guards.

She grit her teeth, recognizing this as the 'unmistakable signal' Zuko had warned her of.

She didn't even give the others a warning, pulling the moisture from the air into drops and hurling it through the crowd at the various soldiers - who were now stunned, scrambling, bruised, and soaked.

Sokka, Toph, and Iroh leaped into action as the blue-masked Zuko sliced through the bindings on Aang, grabbing the younger boy and dragging him into the forest.

"Sokka, Toph, Iroh, help me hide our identies." The grins she received from Toph and Sokka, the hissed instructions of Sokka to Iroh, and the following performance led to most people wondering who the blue-masked ninja and painted woman were.

=========

Katara was trying not to laugh as she and Zuko stayed perched on the roof, listening to the song playing below.

_"The traitors they ran!_

_The traitors they ran!_

_An Avatar's traitor and a fallen Prince!_

_And yet the answering cry_

_Came from another realm_

_A Blue Spirit and Painted Lady!"_

The two 'traitors' shared a little smile at the song that had been written in two short weeks about the fiasco they'd caused.

To the Fire Nation, he was a traitor.

To the rest of their group, they still questioned why she'd choose a boy of fire over her friend.

To each other, they had made mistakes - he had left her, she had doubted him - but they were far from being traitors.


End file.
